


Double, Double Toil and Trouble

by JennaUtena



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Gen, Illnesses, Magic, Medicine, Poison
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-24
Updated: 2021-01-24
Packaged: 2021-03-16 04:56:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 449
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28950777
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JennaUtena/pseuds/JennaUtena
Summary: A mysterious figure torments their captors with a sickening potion to...cure them?SPOILER:As in, Arthur chose to go through hard terrain in the freezing rain and everyone got sick except for Merlin. So, the hapless manservant has to care for them.
Relationships: Gwaine & Merlin (Merlin), Knights of the Round Table & Merlin (Merlin), Merlin & Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Kudos: 45





	Double, Double Toil and Trouble

The putrid liquid boiled laboriously, thick green bubbles popping on the surface. Noxious fumes rose to curdle the nose hairs of the sorry few witnesses. A long spindly hand plucked gnarled roots from squelching mud and plopped them into the concoction. The lanky figure stirred the mixture as his captors shuddered in trepidation, knowing it would not be long before they were subjected to the poison.

A wracking cough sounded from their fearful leader when the figure approached with a bowl of the still bubbling goop.

“Drink,” he was ordered.

The golden-haired man glared at the demand and the man giving it. He succumbed nonetheless, knowing that a refusal would bring worse consequences. He held his breath as it was forced onto him, choking as it rolled like thick oil down his throat. His good labor was met with a grunt from his torturer as the latter moved on to the rest of the party.

Some gave half-hearted pleas, too weakened to bodily fight back. The last, though, gave a fight that made the shadowy figure moan in distaste.

“Please,” the final man begged. “You don’t have to do this…”

The opposing figure scoffed derisively. “Don’t fight me. Just shut up and drink.”

He still protested though he was too weak to completely rid himself of their tormentor. But by the grace of the gods, his struggle was enough to upend the bowl of tar onto the other’s cloak.

“Curse you, Gwaine,” the opposing man spat. “Why’d you have to spill the medicine all over me?”

The roguish knight fell back with a weary laugh. “Victory is mine, foul beast. You cannot make me drink that vile potion! Give it up, ma—”

In the knight’s rant, Merlin finally managed to dose him with the disgusting healing tincture. Gwaine choked and gargled in defeat as the rest of their party feebly laughed at the display.

“It would not have come to this if we just went the proposed route, sire,” Merlin scolded the weak band of knights and their prince.

Arthur’s eyes would kill him right now if he could; but, before he could tell his manservant to shut up, he fell over, puking into the grass beside him. Gwaine pointed and laughed as best he could before getting hit in the head by the same offending bowl Merlin had them drink from.

The laughter was stronger this time as Merlin’s magic began to work. He conceded not to use it at full strength to heal them but figured that a little would go a long way. They were already starting to look better, and Arthur had to admit that maybe his useless manservant was not so useless after all.


End file.
